CVE-2024-3623 is a vulnerability discovered in the deployment process of Quay container registries when installed using mirror-registry. The core issue lies in the use of a default database secret key that is embedded in plaintext within one of the configuration template files. Because this key is not unique per deployment, all Quay instances deployed via mirror-registry share the same secret key. This shared secret key can be leveraged by a malicious actor who has at least low-level privileges (PR:L) to access sensitive information stored in Quay's database, compromising confidentiality and integrity. The vulnerability does not require user interaction (UI:N) and can be exploited remotely (AV:N) with low attack complexity (AC:L). The CVSS v3.1 score of 8.1 reflects these factors, highlighting the potential for significant data breaches. Although no public exploits are currently known, the presence of a default plaintext secret key is a critical security misconfiguration that can be easily discovered and abused. The flaw affects all versions of Quay deployed via mirror-registry that use the default configuration template without modification. The vulnerability was published on April 25, 2024, and assigned by Red Hat. The lack of patches or mitigations linked in the provided data suggests that organizations must proactively address this issue by changing default secrets and securing deployment configurations.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2024-3623 is substantial, especially for those relying on Quay as a container registry solution in their DevOps pipelines or production environments. Unauthorized access to the Quay database can lead to exposure of sensitive container images, credentials, and metadata, potentially enabling further lateral movement or supply chain attacks. Confidentiality breaches could compromise intellectual property and sensitive operational data. Integrity impacts may allow attackers to tamper with container images, injecting malicious code that could propagate through deployments. Availability is not directly affected, but the loss of trust and the need for incident response can disrupt operations. Organizations in sectors such as finance, healthcare, and critical infrastructure, which increasingly use containerized applications, face heightened risks. The shared default secret key exacerbates the threat by making it easier for attackers to compromise multiple deployments if they gain access to one. Given the remote exploitability and lack of required user interaction, the vulnerability poses a significant risk to European enterprises and public sector entities.

To mitigate CVE-2024-3623, European organizations should immediately audit their Quay deployments installed via mirror-registry to identify instances using the default database secret key. They must replace the default secret with a strong, unique key for each deployment to prevent shared credential exposure. Configuration management processes should be updated to avoid storing secrets in plaintext within templates; instead, secrets should be managed securely using vault solutions or environment variables with restricted access. Access controls on configuration files and deployment environments must be tightened to limit exposure to unauthorized users. Organizations should monitor logs and network traffic for suspicious access patterns to the Quay database. Additionally, they should stay informed about official patches or updates from Quay or mirror-registry maintainers and apply them promptly once available. Implementing role-based access control (RBAC) and multi-factor authentication (MFA) for administrative access to Quay can further reduce risk. Finally, conducting regular security assessments and penetration testing on container registry deployments will help detect and remediate similar misconfigurations proactively.